Texture paste is a fantastic way to add texture and dimension to art projects. Today’s tutorial will combine a variety of textures and colours in a simple but effective way to create a stone like effect. A great way to try texture paste for the first time.

Method

You will need a piece of dark embossed cardstock. I used a piece of 300 gsm card, which I embossed using a Cuttlebug die cutting machine and my favorite embossing folder. You could also use textured wall paper if you wish. (see my other videos for how to emboss cardstock. I’ll add link at the end).

Apply a layer of texture paste over the whole of the embossed surface of the card. You don’t need too heavy an application, you still want to be able to see the embossing through it.

While the paste is still wet, apply bubble wrap over the card stock and pull it up off the piece, this adds light texture. For a less uniform pattern, you could also use plastic bag to dab on to the surface.

Allow the paste to dry overnight. Drying time may be faster if you have a thin application or are in a warm climate. Do not force the paste dry with a heat gun. (Oh ok, just a little but only if you have a gentle one and DON’T over heat it.)

Apply paynes grey gently over the high areas of the embossing, this will bring out the pattern and also the texture.

Allow each colour to dry before you add the next or they will blend rather than layer

In a few places add some Burnt Sienna

In a few places add some Raw umber, this is also useful to tone down any overly bright areas.

When you are happy with the look, allow all the layers to dry fully and then glue the finished piece onto sturdy card such as mount board or chip board.

Options/Added Extras

For a more distressed darker look, add extra Raw Umber around the edges of the board.

If you find it gets out of control and you have heavier applications of colours that you don’t like (yes this happened to me! when I tried this on a larger piece). Water down your Paynes Grey on the palette and apply a light colour wash over the piece. Dab into it using the rag, to vary the depth of tone.

Here’s what that does to your piece.

Grunged version of embossed stone

Experiment with different tools to apply your texture paste and different mark making items to vary the textures you get. It’s so much fun to put a layer down and see what you can do with it. The texture paste is quite forgiving as long as you put it onto a sturdy surface. Use it on mountboard to have more ‘fiddle’ time, without the tearing the card apart. I do sometimes experiment till a card gives up (not always intentionally) but that’s a great way to learn.

Here’s the book I made with my panel to store my sketches in.

Embossed stone book

Have fun experimenting and I’d love to see what you create with texture paste, do leave me a comment and show me what you have made.

If you love the texture of crackle but would like a fuss free way to create it, check out this video tutorial for creating texture with gesso. This is a dimensional paint effect so not one to stamp or journal over, but it makes a fantastic tactile finish.

Faux Crackle paint effect. The really EASY way

You Will Need

Daler Rowney Gesso; White

Broad Palette knife. I’m using Langnickel K4

Rag

Jar of water

Non stick craft sheet

Palette

Paint colours of your choice

Method

I’ve included a written version of the instructions so those who need to can use the translate this site, to have the instruction in your chosen language.

Apply a generous layer of gesso to your mount board using the palette knife.

Using the flat face of the knife pat/dab into the gesso, this will leave a texture in the surface. Vary the pressure for different sizes of texture.

Continue until you have an effect you like and allow to dry.

For a coloured background add a light wash, then use a rag or sponge to apply colour just to the raised areas of the texture.

Options/Added Extras

For a coloured background texture, mix your colour into the gesso, bear in mind the colour will appear lighter as gesso is opaque.

Put a small amount of gesso in a separate container and add particles of sand or glass beads for a different more textured result.

This is a technique that I discovered by accident when playing experimenting with my new Interference acrylic colours. This paint works best over dark colours so I created a dark background and was layering the interference colour and really liked the effect. With a little practice you can make it look like brushed metal.

Method

Use the palette knife to apply a layer of Burnt Umber over the whole mount board panel, allow this layer to dry.

With a rag apply interference gold in ‘grain direction’ as seen in the video and previously in the weathered wood tutorial. Allow this layer to dry.

With a rag, apply some Burnt Sienna in ‘grain direction’ like you did with the gold. Burnt sienna is semi transparent and will let earlier layers show through but this will warm the colours up and tone down any areas that are looking too bright. Allow this layer to dry.

Continue to build your layer till you have an effect that you like, if you like a darker tone go back in with some Burnt Umber with the rag to deepen some areas or perhaps create a frame to the piece.

Like with the other techniques, to get the best results it’s all about the blending. Build up the layers gradually for the best results and allow each layer to dry before you apply the next.

Options/Added Extras

Winsor & Newton Galeria is a flow formula acrylic paint, so the finished result will be flat. This makes it ideal for art journals, ATC and pieces you wish to write or stamp over. If you want a more dimensional effect use a heavy bodied acrylic paint such as Daler Rowney Cryla which will add more dimension to the piece.

As part of the Adventures in Acrylics online workshop series, I’d like to share a way to spice up your existing colour palette, with the help of Interference colours. If you are a colour magpie like me, and would love all your favourite colours as metallic or interference colours, there is an affordable way to do this. In today’s tutorial I’ll share just one way to achieve this.

This is just one way to make your palette metallic and later in the series I’ll share another option.

Interference Colours; So many possibilities

You Will Need

Method

Options/Added Extras

Experiment with different coloured base surfaces

Experiment with the difference between mixing the interference colours with your palette and using it over the top of colours.

Get dimensional. Try it over embossed and textured surfaces for some stunning results.

You Will Need

Method

Apply a layer of Winsor Violet to the mount board using the palette knife. Allow this layer to dry before you move on.

For a darker finish apply a second layer of Winsor Violet to the mount-board. If you apply the paint generously, you can also dab the flat of the knife into the paint to create additional texture. Allow this layer to dry fully before you move on.

Put some Gold Interference colour onto the plate. Pick up some of this colour using the rag. Dab off the excess paint on to a clean area of the paint. You only want a small amount on the cloth.

Swipe the rag over the board, just catching the top surface. The colour will catch on areas of texture and highlight them. While you get used to the technique, start on the sides of the board and work inwards, if you have too much paint on the cloth you will get a different effect! By starting at the edges of the board and working inwards, the excess paint will be worked off a little on the sides of the board.

Options/Added Extras

Vary how you apply the paint, for different effects. Use varying amounts of paint at each stage and experiment to discover an effect that you like. Try applying the Shimmering gold over other dark colours of card or paint to find more colour combinations you like.

After my review in the last post, today I’d like to share a video with you as part of the online workshop series Adventures In Acrylics. In the film I’ll show you around the interference colour palette and some of the amazing results that you can achieve with it.

You Will Need

Daler Rowney; Shimmering Colours. Interference colour of your choice

Jar of water

Cotton Rag

Dark and Light card stock

Here’s a few examples of items that feature Daler Rowney Interference Colours

Hope you will give these Shimmering Colours a try, they are stunning on dark surfaces. In the coming weeks I’ll share some techniques using them, and I’ve got plans for a Christmas project with them later in the year. As I mentioned in the film, if you can only get one colour, I’d go for the Shimmering Gold, its the one I use the most and I find the most versatile.

If you already have these paints, I’d love to hear how you use them and see your projects with them too.

As part of the online workshop series Adventures in Acrylics, I’d like to share a tutorial to help you get the most from your choice of colours, whether you have been collecting them for years or have a shiny new box of gleaming tubes in front of you. After this you will know just what colours you have and be able to find just the one you want from a huge pile, every time.

Do you know what colours you have? Make a colour chart and discover your full palette

You Will Need

Acrylic paper or piece of white mount board

All the acrylic paints you have

Brush

Water pot with water

Rag

Ruler

Pencil

Pen

Method

Do have a new box of paints? Then if the tubes are still in the box they are lined up ready to go. Perhaps though you have been collecting your acrylic paints for some time. If that’s the case, go rummage, find every tube/pot/jar of acrylic paint you have. If they are all in one place together you are more likely to use more of them😉

Some acrylic paints are flow formula (ie more fluid) others are heavy bodied (more like toothpaste in consistency). Separate your acrylic collection into two boxes so you can easily home in on the different kinds when you want to.

Because paints often dry to a slightly different colour than they look on the tube/packaging, you are going to paint samples of each. In the interests of only doing this once😉 Try to paint your samples on to something sturdy like white mount board as it will last longer.

Next to each patch of colour that you paint, write the details from the pot/tube. That’s the colour name and number and if you have a selection of brands the brand name too. You can shorten the brands to initials as long as you write yourself a key😉

Make sure you wash out your brush well between colours and keep changing your water so the colours stay true.

Now you have a beautiful chart that can live in the box with the paints, when you are creating a project you can use the card to choose just the colour you want, and know which one it was. Drawing a pretty grid to paint inside is optional, but it can make it easier to scan across later on.

Here is a picture of my paint chart, the quick one I made when I first got my paint (on the mount board, shown above) and the detailed one on the acrylic paper. You could also glue this sheet onto mount board, if you want it to last longer.

Detailed Paint Chart

Options/Added Extras

If you prefer a more mobile colour chart.

Cut a piece of mount board for each paint you have.

Write the brand, colour name and number on the back of each tile, before you paint your swatch on the front.

Punch a hole in the cards and string them together so you can keep them in colour families, but still have the options of adding to the collection as you buy new paints.

This version will also allow you to pull colour schemes together from the cards and encourage you to experiment with more than just your favourites.

Links

Check out the Art Supplies tab at the top of the blog, you will find links to the main manufacturers there. At the paint manufacturers sites you will often find downloadable colour charts, although these are only guides as the printed colours will vary depending on how your printer is set up (and how much ink is left in it😉 )

The manufacturers charts are very helpful for identifying the colour names/numbers and for newbies which paints are opaque, transparent or semi opaque or semi transparent. This is very helpful when you are just starting out and haven’t yet worked out which colours will have which opacity. It makes a huge difference to the success of your experiments, when you know the opacity of your paint colours😉

Hope this tutorial helps you discover just how many colours you have, and now you know what you will have, perhaps it will tempt you to use more of them, rather than just sticking to your favorites. I’d love to see your finished results.

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Have fun
Billie :)

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